Quick answer
Kitchen demolition debris — old cabinets, countertops, backsplash tile, flooring, and appliances — can't go in your regular trash. Recycle metal and clean materials where possible, take appliances with freon to a certified handler, and haul the rest to a transfer station or via a junk removal service (single items from $150; a typical kitchen tear-out is a partial to full load).
What Comes Out of a Kitchen Demo
- Upper and lower cabinets, plus toe kicks and filler panels
- Countertops — laminate, butcher block, granite, quartz, or tile
- Backsplash tile, thinset, and backer board
- Flooring: vinyl, tile, or hardwood, plus underlayment
- Sink, faucet, garbage disposal, and cut plumbing
- Appliances: refrigerator, range, dishwasher, hood, microwave
- Drywall, scrap lumber, and packaging from the new install
What's Recyclable vs Landfill
More of a kitchen is recyclable than people expect. Sinks, faucets, appliance bodies, and metal framing are scrap metal. Clean, untreated wood and cardboard can be recycled. Intact cabinets, working appliances, and undamaged fixtures are often accepted by reuse centers, which keeps them out of the waste stream entirely.
Tile, mortar, backer board, laminate counters, and mixed demo debris generally go to a transfer station as construction and demolition waste. Because that material is heavy, it's typically priced by weight.
Appliances and Freon
Refrigerators, freezers, and some wine coolers contain refrigerant that must be recovered by an EPA Section 608–certified technician before the unit is scrapped. You can't legally toss a fridge on the pile. Ranges, dishwashers, and hoods don't have refrigerant but are still scrap metal rather than curbside trash — see appliance removal in Oakland for how those are handled.
Where to Dispose of Kitchen Demo Debris in Oakland
Oakland-area residents can haul construction and demolition debris to the Davis Street Transfer Station at 2615 Davis St in San Leandro, which accepts C&D material and charges by weight. Bring your own truck, straps, and patience for the scale line. The Oakland & Alameda County disposal directory lists additional facilities and what each one takes.
The alternative is a hauler: the crew loads the cabinets, counters, tile, and appliances, sorts recyclables, and handles the transfer-station run. That's what our kitchen demolition debris removal service does, usually same day.
What Kitchen Demo Disposal Costs
Single items start at $150. A galley or small kitchen tear-out is usually a partial load around $250, and a large kitchen with cabinets, counters, flooring, and appliances is typically a full truckload at $500 or more. Heavy material like tile and stone counters is priced by weight. Full tiers are on our pricing page, and you get an upfront quote before any loading starts.